This invention relates to an apparatus for drying and deodorizing articles of clothing, and more particularly to a fan and housing inside an outer enclosure where a flow of ambient air is blown into and around apparel for improved drying and deodorizing. The system conditions apparel without the addition of a heating element and is portable.
Articles of apparel which were made of leather or plastic in the past are more frequently being made of natural and synthetic fabrics. This trend is for reasons of economy and fabric materials have become the preferred clothing material for the casual lifestyle of the young and old alike. However, many of these materials have less resistance to penetration by water and frequently become soiled and must be washed. For example, the type of shoes, gloves and hats which have become popular items of apparel are much less resistant to penetration by water and must be frequently washed. These articles of apparel also absorb odors and must be frequently "aired-out" to become more pleasing to a person's sense of smell. Frequent drying and deodorizing of these articles of apparel is required. The use of a household dryer is a very inefficient means for drying and deodorizing these articles of apparel. A full dryer load of shoes is not normally possible and a pair of shoes may cause damage to the dryer; in addition to being very noisy during the drying process. In addition, the use of dryers for sporting events has become greater as the health and performance of athletes has been found to critically depend on the condition of sporting gear.
A number of devices have been described for drying individual items of clothing. Two typical examples of these devices are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos.: 1,688,793 and 5,379,525.
In the disclosure of Schrenkeisen (U.S. Pat No. 1,688,793) a shoe dryer is disclosed where heated air from header section flows into a shoe and sock drying compartment including a shelf to support the shoes being dried. The effect of making turbulent the flow of air in the header section directs the air through ducts between the header section and the drying compartment into shoes supported on the shelf. This patent teaches using two compartments connected by ducts and adding heat to the air for drying. No adjustment in the shelf is provided for improving the drying process.
In the disclosure of Raynor (U.S. Pat. No. 5,379,525) a hair dryer is used to provide heat and air to dry boots, gloves and the like. A box shaped enclosure includes one open side and one side for locating the hair dryer within an opening. A drying rack is used to support the gloves such that an opening into the interior of the gloves is positioned immediately below the hair dryer nozzle. Alternately, a removable dryer shelf is used to support objects being dried. This drying stand does not disclose an adjustable stand and heat is provided during the drying process.
Other patents for heating and conditioning shoes are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,258,633 and 2,267,158 and U.S. Pat. No. Re. 16,110. These patents disclose both the drying of shoes and softening of leather used to make shoes.
The patents of Heath (U.S. Pat. No. 1,258,633) and Savard (U.S. Pat. No. Re 16,110) both disclose a shoe support that adjusts to support the shoe to vary the amount of heat received by the outside surface of the shoe. The shoe is softened by the heating means and no air supply means is disclosed or necessary with these shoe softeners.
The shoe fitting stool of Locke (U.S. Pat. No. 2,267,158) includes a supply of heated air from within a casing through a grill for drying a shoe or a foot having a sock. The position of the foot is not adjusted by the stool structure to allow for the direction of the heated air flow within the stool.
The use of an enclosure for generating heated air for electrically drying the foot is also disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 1,658,489. This disclosure of Lindstrom teaches using a box with a fan of blower driven by a motor having a foot operated switch. The box includes a heater and a baffle for deflecting heated air up through a screen for foot drying. This portable foot drying machine does not teach how to adjust the position of the foot for optimum drying, and the air is again heated.
The need remains to have an efficient system for the drying of apparel which has become wet by use or when washed. The elimination of any heating element is essential for the economic operation of the system. The absence of heat makes the position of apparel within a flow of ambient air essential to drying in a reasonable amount of time. The problems associated with deodorizing articles of apparel also need to be solved along with the needs for drying. Both drying and deodorizing of apparel should be accomplished by the same system at the same time.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a system which uses ambient air to dry and deodorize apparel of various types and size.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a housing where apparel can be positioned in an air passage to provide the correct location to achieve drying without the addition of a heating element to an ambient air supply.
A further object of this invention is to provide a portable unit that can be easily stored and retrieved to provide a conditioning device for apparel as needed. The unit should be light in weight and provide cost effective means for drying and deodorizing for the private individual.
An additional object of the present invention is to provide an apparel conditioner system and method which can be used to deodorize apparel without exhausting foul air into a room where it is being used. In this mode the ambient air should be recirculated and essentially not exhausted into the room.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an adjustable support means for the apparel being conditioned to be place in the air passage to allow a flow of air to circulate in contact with the inner surfaces of the apparel and at the same time envelop the outside surfaces of the apparel.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a device and system for drying apparel related to sporting events including all types of sporting gear.